phuketlifelog

Phuketlifelog

Living in Phuket — solo, and honest about what it costs.

Dusk over the water on Phuket's east coast — hills in silhouette with a hilltop Buddha, longtail boats moored offshore, and the first town lights coming on
Laem Din sea viewpoint, east coast — 21 September 2025, 18:44. My own photo.

Living where other people go on vacation. I live in Phuket on my own, and I write down what it actually costs — dated baht from my own records, not an average of strangers. If you’re weighing this move and can’t picture the life, or can’t tell whether the numbers online apply to you, that’s what this is for. I’m not trying to talk you into it: deciding it isn’t for you is a good outcome too. Written from Phuket Town since 2024 — nothing invented, nothing I haven’t verified.

Kai Nakamura · Living in Phuket since 2024
No fake reviews · only verified numbers

Moving here — the whole thing, in order

  1. Decide

    Whether you can, what it costs, and where.

    1. What does a month actually cost?The Real Cost of Living in Phuket in 2026 — I Budgeted ฿40,000. I Actually Spend ฿50,000.
    2. Can I legally stay long enough for this to be a life?Thailand Elite vs the DTV in 2026: Is Elite Worth It? A Platinum Member's Honest Take
    3. Which part of the island would I live in?Where to Live in Phuket (2026): Pick Your Budget, Not Your Beach — and Why ฿25,000 Buys Two Different Lives

  2. Land

    The first month, and the money that leaves your account in it.

    1. How do I sign for a place?Renting a Condo in Phuket (2026): One Week, ฿75,000 Down, and ฿0 to the Agent
    2. How do I get baht without losing money?Exchanging Money in Phuket (2026): The Rate I Actually Got, and How to Check Any Booth in Ten Seconds
    3. What do the bills come to?What Utilities Actually Cost in a Phuket Condo (2026) — and the Rule That Caps What Your Landlord Can Charge

  3. Settle in

    Turning a stay into an ordinary life.

    1. What if I get hurt?Do You Need Health Insurance in Phuket? An Uninsured Resident's Honest Take (2026)
    2. How do I get around?Renting a Scooter in Phuket (2026): A Resident's Honest Guide
    3. How do I ride legally?How to Get a Thai Motorcycle Licence as a Foreigner (2026): A Resident's Walkthrough
    4. What happens when something breaks?A Light Died in My Phuket Condo: It Wasn't a Bulb — and Fixing Both Cost ฿268

  4. What it's actually like

    Once the arithmetic works, this is the part you're really buying.

    1. What does living here alone actually feel like?Is Living Alone in Phuket Lonely? What Every Guide Gets Wrong About the Question

Just visiting first?

A Thai longtail boat pulled up on a beachWhere to stayWhere to Stay in Phuket (2026): A Resident's Honest Area Guide9 min readA wide beach at Karon under a grey monsoon sky, with breaking surf, a scattering of people standing in the water, and a red warning flag on the grass strip at the back of the sandWhen to goThe Best Time to Visit Phuket in 2026 — Skip September, and Ignore the Month-by-Month Monsoon Rankings12 min read